György Vashegyi & Liszt Academy Symphony Orchestra A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

“For me, Theodora is perhaps Händel’s greatest dramatic composition, an opus magnum of the Baroque period that stands alongside the most significant works of Purcell, Bach and Rameau: it was an honour for us that we could present it in Hungary in November 2004.” This quotation from a few years ago is from György Vashegyi, one of the most important figures in period performance practice in Hungary and an artist who has premiered several Händel compositions here. Now he has undertaken a task of no lesser weight: the performance of Händel’s Theodora – which when first played proved unpopular, but according to his own opinion is one of the composer’s most successful works – together with students of the Liszt Academy and after months of rehearsals. This late work (the last but one oratorio written by Händel, debuting in 1750), which is filled with grandiose choral parts and impressively rich melodious arias, represents a serious challenge to any professional ensemble, so the very act of undertaking this enterprise is worthy of attention in itself.